Pick, Prediction, & Preview:

Fresno State Bulldogs vs Boise State Broncos

The 23rd ranked Fresno State Bulldogs will travel to Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho, to face the Boise State Broncos on Friday night at 10:15 pm EST. The Bulldogs maintained their winning ways by scoring a 48-3 road win over a reeling UNLV Runnin’ Rebels team last Saturday as they allowed almost two hundred yards rushing to the Rebels, yet the home team could not convert on third down in going five for 18 for the day. The Broncos picked up their fourth straight win as they disposed of the BYU Cougars by only a 21-16 score as their high-powered offense was not only out-gained by a Cougars offense that struggled all year, but, also committed two turnovers versus a defensive unit for BYU that has had to carry the weight for the lack of offense. The last time these two teams met was on December 2, 2017 as the Broncos could not cover as 9.5-point favorites yet won the game by a 17-14 score as Alexander Mattison and Ryan Wolpin’s two-yard run sealed the victory for the Broncos.

Fresno State Bulldogs's Latest Performance :

In their last matchup, the Bulldogs shut down a UNLV team that only had just three yards per pass catch. The road team did, however, gave up 121 yards to Charles Williams of UNLV, however, came up big at critical times during the game, particularly on third down defense. The offense, on the other hand, got two TD passes to three different receivers from Marcus McMaryion along with 274 yards total while Saevion Johnson scored a rushing TD for the Bulldogs. KeeShawn Johnson led the receiving corps with 97 yards on eight catches. McMaryion has thrown 13 touchdown passes compared to only one interception in his last six outings while Johnson came three yards shy of achieving the 100-yard mark in reception yardage for three games straight.

Fresno State continues to hold down the top spot within the West division just a game ahead of the San Diego State Aztecs who are 4-1. Of course, the Bulldogs will bring their high scoring passing attack into this game in which to test the resolve of a Boise States pass defense that allows 234 yards per game. Keep in mind that the Bulldogs are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games (4-0 ATS in last four road games). With that being the case, look for them to really put on a great showing on Friday night.

Boise State Broncos's Latest Performance :

The Broncos had been on fire lately on offense in averaging around 40 points per game in their last four outings prior to their meeting with BYU. However, they were only able to garner 21 points yet came out with the victory last weekend. Despite an interception, Brett Rypien threw a touchdown pass to AJ Richardson who led the receiving corps with 53 yards on four catches for the day. Alexander Mattison took matters in his own hands in rushing for 89 yards on 25 carries along with two scores to help seal the victory for Boise State. In fact, Mattison has scored at least a touchdown in each of the last three contests for the Broncos. The defense remains solid as well in allowing just 23.7 points per game for the year.

Division-wise, the Broncos continue to chase the Utah State Aggies in the Mountain West Mountain. However, they will indeed battle them during the final game of their 2018 campaign at home to decide the division, assuming they both win out. The fact is that they must win in this matchup versus a Fresno State team that has gained some huge momentum due to their play recently along with their stellar play as a team all season.

How Fresno State Bulldogs & Boise State Broncos Matchup.

Vegas Odds, Offshore Odds, & Odds ATS:

Fresno State is 7-1 ATS while the OU is 4-4

Boise State is 4-3-1 ATS while the OU is 5-3

In-Depth Analysis of each team:

Look for this to be one of the more intriguing matchups for this weekend’s slate of college football in that you have two teams that both possess great offenses with solid defensive units. In all, it will come down to how well Boise State holds up versus the passing attack for Fresno State. As stated, they are 24th in the nation and are going up against a Boise State Secondary that is currently 74th in the nation in allowing 234 yards per game. Of course, look for Boise State to have issues facing a team that is only allowing 13 points to their opponents all year while its pass defense allows just 178 yards per game in 2018.

Against The Spread Selection: Pick: Fresno State

My reason for the pick :

Boise state continues to beat the teams that they are supposed to whip up on; However, they have not been as successful versus teams such as San Diego State (their last loss at home, by the way) along with Oklahoma State as they lost both by an average of 14 points. Of course, look for them to keep things competitive in this contest, however, look for the Bulldogs to show and prove as McMaryion and company continues to put points on the board while having a defense that can really be aggressive. In all, the Bulldogs will roll against a Boise State team that will fold to a dominating defensive unit for Fresno State in the end.

Totals Selection: Pick: Under

My reason for the prediction :

I simply see the total being well under its set limit in this game because the Broncos have scored considerably less amongst teams that have better than average records. For example, while averaging in the mid 30’s against teams such as Air Force, Colorado state, and Nevada, the Broncos averaged only 17 points per game during their matchups with the Aztecs and the Cowboys earlier in the season. Fresno State is an up and coming team that plays well on both sides and will take control of the trenches over the course of the game, thus limiting the scoring to allow the under to be the play.

Betting trends for Fresno State Bulldogs:

Fresno State is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games on the road

Fresno State is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Boise State

Fresno State is 5-12 ATS in its last 17 games when playing Boise State

The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Fresno State’s last 6 games when playing Boise State

Fresno State is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Boise State

Betting trends for Boise State Broncos:

Boise State is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games at home

Boise State is 6-14 ATS in its last 20 games at home

The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Boise State’s last 24 games at home

Boise State is 12-5 ATS in its last 17 games when playing Fresno State

Boise State is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Fresno State

Falepa

A sports analyst and enthusiast, Filipa enjoys writing articles for NHL, NBA, NCAAB, and, of course, for NCAAF. In addition, he enjoys the true art of breaking down games in such as way as to locate certain trends that can impact future contests. With a willingness to research, construct, and relay information that any reader can understand, Filipa aims to provide the reader with interesting & indepth knowledge for upcoming sporting events.